So, I have a saga to tell you. A week ago today, my child started to go absolutely jerk-face insane (read: I thought he was trying to kick out my side-wall.) I put my hand on my belly and noticed that the entirety was hard as a rock.
Uh-oh.
So, I waited and after it relaxed, it happened again. And again.
When I was to 6 in one hour, I called my OB. The office directed me to go immediately to the local high risk hospital. (My day was definitely deteriorating fast.) I cried and then got cleaned up and into the car.
Yes. This is the second time I drove myself to the hospital while having contractions. Thankfully (and not so thankfully, I do not feel contractions. But, we'll get to this later).
In triage, my check-in nurse remembered me. She had been my first contact and first nurse when I checked-in to have Mira. It was a sad moment. But, then, things started moving fast. . . doppler, ultrasound and then cervical check. My cervix is tender and it bleeds on contact. Doesn't that make you cringe? My cerclage was still in one piece (I'm not sure that is the right descriptor, but we'll go with it.)
An awesome nurse plunged an IV into my hand started fluids - though, I can tell you that as a 2+ gallon a day water drinker, I didn't need. I was given a shot of Terbutaline (a fast working tocolytic) and whisked upstairs to the Labor and Delivery floor. The "Terb" makes you feel like you are going to jump out of your skin. It makes you antsy and uncomfortable. But, it helps wane the contractions long enough to move you to another place.
In L&D, I was inspected again - by another OB and because I was already bleeding all over the place, they couldn't perform a Fetal Fibronectin test. If they could have, it would have shown if I was going to go into labor in the next two weeks or not. Yeah. My body likes to kill the easy road.
So, instead, they measured everything manually - and used a bedside ultrasound to tell me that my cervical length was 2. ALARM!
The Hub arrived and I started Magnesium. Again. This shit is still and will always be the worst shit in the world. Of course, I also received two shots (over two days) of Betamethazone for the baby's lungs. Those feel like like lava being forced through a needle and deep into your ass cheek. (The things we do for our babies!!)
Fast forward a day and I was wheeled down to PeriNatal for a high tech ultrasound scan. Yes. I was out of my gourd with the Magnesium, but, it was worth it. Our boy is long and strong and beautiful. And, the good news. . . my cervix measured 4.6. If you don't know, that is really long and perfect.
In another night, I was taken off the Mag and put on ProCardia - a high blood pressure medicine that has a lovely side effect as a tocolytic. Other than making me flush deep red with heat every six hours, it worked. By Friday, I was moved to the Ante Partum unit.
Now. . . this place, isn't where you want to be, but it is a step up from the L&D unit. The women on AP are there for the long haul. They are suffering all types of yuck from placenta previa to PTL. The nurses are there for companionship as well as guardianship. (Every single day, I thanked the universe for Colleen.)
Finally, on Sunday morning, I was wheeled down to PeriNatal again for another scan where they determined that my cervix had not changed. So, guess what? I got to go home on modified bedrest.
I can work for a couple hours and then take a break. So - I think this post counts as work. Right?
I will have weekly appointments with my OB and our goal is to make it through the beginning of September - to 28 weeks. We set small goals - they are more attainable.
I hope you have had a better week than I had.
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